Friday, December 28, 2018

The
girls’ JV and varsity basketball teams took on Edward Little on Friday,
December 21, at home, for their final game before winter break.

JV

Windham
started out aggressive, taking advantage of rebound opportunities which lit up
the scoreboard frequently early on in the first half. Windham was pressuring,
with strong offense and defense, capitalizing on any mistake Edward Little
made. The Lady Eagles didn’t let up, despite their lead of over ten points in
the first quarter. They were beating Edward Little to the ball, getting
turnovers and sinking baskets left and right.

Half:
38-11 Windham

Windham
didn’t stop in the second half. They kept the pressure on and with 5:35 left in
the third quarter, Windham was up by thirty points. They continued taking
advantage on Edward Little’s mistakes, and the scoreboard reflected it. The
Lady Eagles were focused, moving the ball around well with solid offense and
defense. Top scorers: Riley Beem #3, Kayla
Flanders #21, Estella Inman #42 and Destiny Potter #45.

Final:
69-22, Windham

“Our
kids played really well...improvement has been amazing. In this particular
game, everybody scored, which is really a rarity at any level. It was good to
see our kids come together and have agood
game,” remarked coach EJ Regan.

Meghan Hoffses

Varsity
Edward Little got a jump on Windham with a twelve-point lead, but the Eagles’ intensity
was ramping up. Windham was catching up to Edward Little, working to grab
several rebound opportunities in the first half. With a little over two minutes
left in the half, the score was tied at 25. You could feel the tension in the
air. Shortly before the end of the half, Meghan Hoffses #2, hurls the ball into
the air from half court and as the buzzer goes off the ball is mid-air as
everyone watches it plunge into the hoop for three points.

Half:
30-27, Windham

The
Lady Eagles take the court, eager to put this game in the win column. Their offense
and defense were strong; blocking shots as Windham continued adding to the
scoreboard, pulling away from Edward Little. At the end of third quarter it was
42-34, Windham. Windham kept up their pace in the fourth quarter, capitalizing
on mistakes and sinking baskets.

Top
scorers: Hoffses, Hannah Talon #11 and Tara Flanders #33.

Final: 54-40,
Windham

“Coming
twelve nothing out of the gate, it’s tough to come back mentally from that. The
kids did a good job of keeping their composure overall...the girls did a real
good job at staying mentally focused. It was a good team defensive effort for
us today,” commented coach Brody Artes.

The
Windham/Westbrook hockey team set the ice on fire against
Skowhegan/Lawrence/MCI on Saturday, December 22 at the University of Southern
Maine in Gorham.

Windham/Westbrook
started strong with Holden Anderson #4 scoring in the first few seconds and
then a short time later. Windham/Westbrook had great offense and defense with Derek
Corbett #28 scoring. Skowhegan/Lawrence/MCI did score in the first period, but
it was their only goal all game.

After
one period: 3-1, Windham/Westbrook

Windham/Westbrook
didn’t slow down in the second period with Travis Brown #7, scoring almost
immediately. Tommy Lekousi #11 followed Brown scoring shortly after.
Windham/Westbrook was dominating, pressuring and being first to the puck.
Before the end of the period, Jake Jeffrey #30 and Austin White #34 scored.

After
two periods: 7-1, Windham/Westbrook

Windham/Westbrook
continued taking shots on goal and took more than double the shots of
Skowhegan/Lawrence/MCI. Colin Casserly #9, Jordan Cantz #27 and Lekousi scored.

Final:
10-1, Windham/Westbrook

“To get
the start we did, the goal thirty seconds in; that set the tone for us, the
kids realized there’s going to be something here tonight if we go hard and we’re
going to be rewarded for it [and they were]” remarked coach Greg LeClair.

Windham/Gray
New Gloucester wrestling team hosted Massabesic and Noble, at Windham, on
Wednesday, December 19for the first home game of the season.

Windham
vs. Noble

In the 152-pound
weight class, George Butts pins his opponent in the first period of play. In
the 160-pound weight class Andrew Martin pinned Noble after one period of play.
Garrett Allenin the 220-weight class went after
his opponent’s leg knocking him off balance and was able to slam him to the
mat, getting the pin. Windham fought hard, but Noble took this match.

Final:
64-18, Noble

Windham
vs. Massabesic

Windham
kept up their intensity and defense to stay alive during the periods. DJ
Pelletier, in the 132-pound weight class, battled hard to keep from being
flipped on his back. Pelletier kept his head down and was not letting up.
Pelletier wins in the third period.

Owen
McDuffie in the 145-pound weight class slams his opponent to the mat and keeps
Massabesic from getting the opportunity to stand up and retaliate as McDuffie flips
Massabesic for the pin.

Several
forfeits tipped the score in Massabesic’s favor and they take this match 36-30.

“Those
are two of the best teams in the conference. We came out, wrestled hard, and
the effort the kids are putting forth on the mat has been extra special. We’re
only going to get better,” observed Coach John Nicholas.

Friday, December 21, 2018

The JV
and varsity boys’ basketball teams took on Bangor, at Windham, on Saturday,
December 15.

JV

Eric Weisser

The
Eagles had strong offense and defense and were moving the ball around nicely.
They were working hard to capitalize on Bangor’s mistakes, which created opportunities
to take the lead. The Eagles wanted this win and their intensity showed it.
Bangor was not far behind, with both teams pressuring. The Eagles were going
strong, working to maintain control.

Halftime:
29-26, Windham

The
Eagles took to the court in the second half, focused and going for the win.
They continued pressuring, with Bangor not far behind. Windham was utilizing
Bangor’s mistakes, which resulted in Windham getting several turnovers –
lighting up the scoreboard.

With
four seconds left in the third quarter, Windham was up by ten. The Eagles were
not letting up and with five minutes left in the fourth quarter they had a
twenty-point lead over Bangor.

Will Mannette

Bangor’s
fate was sealed. Five minutes is a lot of time left in a game, but the Eagles
had worked too hard and played so well in 3 plus quarters for Bangor to make a
game winning recovery. The Eagle’s intensity didn’t waiver even with a minute
left. Top scorers: Will Mannette #24 and Nicholas Garrison #54.

Final:
63-46, Windham

“I’m
happy with the way they played. It’s the first time we really pressed from the
start of the game and it brought us a lot of energy. That’s the way we needed
to play,” commented coach Geoff Grigsby.

Varsity

Windham
started strong, scoring within seconds of the tip-off. The Eagles were taking
shots at Bangor’s basket and had good offense and defense. Both teams were
within two points of each other early on in the first half. Bangor had a small
lead, but Windham was not far behind.

Half:
18-11, Bangor

Windham
started the second half taking several shots on Bangor’s basket, but,
unfortunately, they weren’t dropping. This enabled Bangor to gain a bigger
lead. Windham was working hard to turn this game around. They had great
teamwork and were moving the ball nicely, which did close the points gap a
little.

After
three quarters Bangor lead by twelve. But it was not over, Windham continued to
pressure. They were down by nine with a minute left. After giving a solid
effort, Bangor takes this one 54-38. Top scorers: Eric Weisser #20 and Dierhow
Bol #4.

“The
first half we played great defense, we played exactly the way we wanted to play.
The guys fought hard and our guys will be ready, and they’ll bounce back. This
is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ll be looking for opportunities to get better
every day. All we can do is keep working hard,” remarked coach Chad Pulkkinen.

The
Jordan Small Middle School boys and girls basketball teams played their final
home games of the year against Durham on Monday, December 17 at Jordan Small
Middle School in Raymond.

Boys

The
boys had a strong first half with excellent teamwork and tough offense and
defense; pulling away from Durham before halftime. Raymond was capitalizing on
rebound opportunities and turnovers, which gave them over a twenty-point lead
at the buzzer.

Half:
31-10, Raymond

The boys
came out just as hungry and looking to make sure they did everything to get
this win. Their defense prevented Durham from closing the points gap too much,
and Raymond’s offense kept the baskets coming. Raymond had excellent teamwork,
passing to each other and capitalizing on Durham’s mistakes. Raymond continued
to be ahead by over twenty points as the clock wound down. With three minutes
left in the fourth, Raymond didn’t stop their defense and continued working to
put points on the scoreboard. Final 55-27, Raymond. Top scorers: Bob Wing #52
and Noah Mains #34.

“We had
a week of practice and we went over playing against the zone and they came
right out and did what we practiced. They played together more than they have
in any other game,” remarked Coach, Jim Beers.

Girls
The Raymond girls also started strong moving the ball around with solid defense
in the first half. They and Durham were fairly evenly matched with the score
being within a point or two of the competing teams.

Half:
14-11, Durham

Allie Troiano

The
Raymond girls worked hard to turn the score around in the second half. Their
defense and offense were solid. Raymond was aggressive in going after scoring
opportunities and gained a few rebounds to close their points gap with Durham. Raymond
worked well as a team, moving the ball around nicely. With roughly three
minutes left in the game, Raymond was down by 8. Several fouls by Durham helped
to advance Raymond’s score. With a little over a minute left, Raymond trailed
by 7. After a great effort by the Raymond girls, Durham took this one 29-24.
Allie Troiano #51 was the top scorer of the game and Gabby Ball #10 sunk a
sweet three pointer in the first half.

“We had
a lot of energy, especially in the second half...they ramped it up and made it
a close game at the end. Our team defense and team communication on defense was
really strong and our three-point shooting was excellent,” observed coach Ryan
Roderick.

Friday, December 14, 2018

The
Windham Middle School (WMS) Lady Eagles seventh and eighth grade basketball
teams took on Moore Middle School on Thursday, December 6 at Windham.

Seventh
grade:

Windham
was a little slow to start in the first quarter, but once they were warmed up
in the second quarter, they couldn’t be stopped. The Lady Eagles were moving
the ball around well, up and down the court. They had high intensity and
teamwork with shots on Moore’s basket. Windham was working hard and
capitalizing on mistakes Moore made which equaled several turnover and rebound opportunities
for the Lady Eagles. Windham had good offense and defense.

“We
find our edge and get into it...once we find each other’s strength’s we really
excel. I expect really good things. It’s nice to see scoring come from a
variety of people in different games; each game has been a different [player]
stepping up, which has been nice,” remarked Coach Deb Lebel.

Eighth
grade:

Just
like the the seventh grade team, Windham was a little slow to start, too. They
quickly found their groove and ran with it – and could not be caught. These
Lady Eagles were fast, with excellent ball movement, taking shots on Moore’s
basket and capitalizing on Moore’s mistakes. Windham had strong offense and
defense. And once they got going, they kept lighting up the scoreboard.

Abby Llyod

Half:
22-14, Windham

Windham
did not let up in the second half. Their excellent teamwork gave them a steady
lead that resulted in a win. They had great offense and defense, and kept the
baskets coming, keeping Moore from being able to catch these Lady Eagles.

“It’s a
fast-paced team, so as soon as they warm up, they’re always looking down the
floor for a fast break,” said Coach Lisa Hodge. “They’re all supportive of each
other,” observed Manager Laura Broadbent.

The
Windham/Westbrook hockey team hit the ice at the University of Southern Maine
for the first game of the season at home against Brunswick on Saturday,
December 8.

Windham/Westbrook
started out doing pretty well in the first period with nice teamwork and going
after the puck. They took several shots on Brunswick’s goal and managed to keep
Brunswick from scoring until, with roughly three minutes left in the first
period, Brunswick scored.

First
intermission: 1-0, Brunswick

Windham/Westbrook
came out with intensity in the second period. Although Brunswick scored twice
within the first three minutes, Windham/Westbrook persevered, but needed to be
crisper offensively, said Coach Greg LeClair.

One of
the highlights of the game was freshman Cole Washburn who helped to contribute
by taking the only shot on goal in the second half. “He worked hard, skated
hard and was positive on the bench,” commented LeClair.

Second
intermission: 4-0, Brunswick

In the
final period, Windham/Westbrook looked to turn the game around. They were
moving the puck nicely and while they did get a few shots on goal, nothing went into the net.

Final
6-0, Brunswick

“Not
the start we were hoping for tonight...when you’re not first to the puck,
you’re not going to be successful. We as a team need to be better defensively
and quicker to the puck. If you take care of those two things, a lot of other
things just fall into place,” observed LeClair. “We’ll get better, we’re still
young. We’ve got to do some different things to matchup against teams; we’ll
get there; it’s a process and we’d all like the process to be instantaneous and
sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.”

The office hours will provide
residents with an opportunity to hear updates from Augusta, ask questions about
policy making and share opinions on state matters. Office hours also serve as
an opportunity for residents navigating state agencies to voice their concerns.

Fay,
who represents part of Casco, part of Poland and part of Raymond, was sworn in
for her second term on December 5. She serves on the Legislature’s
Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

Stephanie
and Samantha Frost have basketball in their veins. They each played Windham
Youth Basketball when they were in elementary school as well as playing on
their high school teams for Windham and during college. Now, the sisters are
hitting the court in a different way, as coaches for the Windham Youth
Basketball Association.

Stephanie
and Samantha have played basketball together and even talked about coaching
together. When their younger sister, Emma, began participating in Windham Youth
Basketball, “it sparked something in both of us and we just wanted to take it on
together,” explained Samantha Frost.

Windham
Youth Basketball was very positive for both Stephanie and Samantha. Samantha
remembers the number of people who would show up for the games and the level of
experience between teams. She also remembers the togetherness of the community
and the friendships made. In Samantha’s senior year in high school, she had the
same five girls playing on the court beside her as she did in third grade.

“Looking
back, the coaches you have in your life are role models, you look up to them
and they become a big part of your life,” recalls Stephanie. “I wanted to be
one of these people who have a positive impact on these boys and girls’
lives...to be able to share my love of basketball.”

They
wanted to become coaches now because of their love of the game “and our dream
of always wanting to...coach and finally having an opportunity to do that with
our younger sister; being involved in her life and then giving back to a
program that has given so much to us, in a community that has done the same.” says
Stephanie.

“It’s a
great opportunity to get back with the game again. Even after the first
practice, I walked away thinking this is awesome,” noted Samantha.

Their
younger sister, Emma, is in the fifth grade and has been participating in
Windham Youth Basketball since first grade.Stephanie
and Samantha want to experience as much of Emma’s youth as they can, so for
Stephanie and Samantha to be a part of the program and see what Emma
experiences while being able to be there for her games is a great family
experience for all of them.

The
Frost sisters think Windham Youth Basketball is important because it gives kids
a fun, safe place where they can let loose, make and build friendships and
establish a real feeling of community. It teaches kids discipline and that you
can work hard and have fun at the same time. You have to
challenge yourself. Discipline, patience and not “going through the motions” makes
for a good basketball player.

“Steph and Sam are truly a wonderful
example of giving back to a sport that helped shape them into the women they
have become,” said Pat Moody president of Windham Youth Basketball Association.
“Their parents are also coaching this year and were very involved in Windham
Youth Basketball when the girls were young. It is clear that basketball is a
passion for this family and established the foundation for their love for the
game.”

The
varsity girls, basketball team took on Skowhegan in a preseason game at Windham
on Tuesday, December 4.

Windham
was aggressive right out of the gate, with strong teamwork, moving the ball
around their opponents nicely. Skowhegan jumped to a small but early lead and
it didn’t take the Lady Eagles long to pull ahead. Windham gave 110%, keeping
the two teams close, with only a few points separating the score in the first
half. It was neck and neck with Windham up 10 to 9 at one point in the second
quarter, then the score was tied at 12.

Half:
14-13, Windham

Both
teams were giving it their all at the start of the second half. The Lady Eagles
had pulled out to a small lead, but Skowhegan was right behind them, even
leading at one point 19 to 18. Windham quickly turned the tables, leading
25-21. Windham’s good offense and defense kept Skowhegan from taking a serious
lead.

The
Lady Eagles were not slowing down. They continued to move the ball around well,
taking multiple shots on Skowhegan’s basket. Windham lead by five, but there
was still four minutes left on the clock. A short time later, Windham lead by three
with 57 seconds left. At the final buzzer the Lady Eagles had taken this one 42
to 37.

Top
scorers included Meghan Hoffses, #2, and Hannah Talon, #11. Anna Drummond, #13,
sunk a three pointer in the fourth quarter.

“The
girls played alright,” remarked coach Brody Artes. “It’s early in the season,
so they made some mistakes, but overall, I think our experience came through at
the end; we held it together when we needed to and we did alright.” In the
upcoming season, “we can look forward to a quality basketball team that’s fun
to watch...score some points and really play lockdown defense; should be a fun
year.”

The
girl’s first home game is Tuesday, December 11 against Portland. JV plays at
5:30 p.m., Varsity at 7 p.m.

The
Windham Eagles hit the court for a pre-season game against Freeport on Friday,
November 30 at the South Portland Community Center.

The
Eagles took control immediately, scoring multiple times in the first half and
maintaining a

Eric Weisser

comfortable lead with the score being 20 to 9. The team came out with
high intensity and did not let that intensity drop. Windham had a solid
defense, staying ahead of Freeport for all of the game, though Freeport was not
far behind.

Windham
was working well together and moving the ball around nicely, with fast passing
and taking shots on Freeport’s basket. Dierhow Bol, #10, had a nice slam dunk
and Eric Weisser, #20, sunk a three pointer at the buzzer to end the first half
with Windham up 34-15.

Windham
did not let up in the second half. They continued to move the ball around well.
The Eagles kept their lead and had goodoffense
and defense, with Windham keeping a ten-point lead for most of the second half.

Although
Freeport got several turnovers against Windham; the Falcons couldn’t stop the
Eagles with the final score 48-37. Top scorers included Bol and Chris Naylor,
#25. Kaleb Cidre #5 and Sean Cunniffe #14 each sunk three pointers.

“Our
guys are getting better every day,” commented Coach Chad Pulkkinen. “The guys
were up off the bench...excited when players are sacrificing for the team,
that’s what we want to be about. These guys are aiming that style of
togetherness. We talk about it every day, to stick together no matter what and
tonight...the players worked hard and I couldn’t be prouder of them with their
effort.”

The
boy’s first home games are Friday, December 7 against Cheverus with first team
at 4 p.m., JV at 5:30 p.m. and varsity at 7 p.m.